


Love Just Beyond Reach (Adrien/Cat Noir x Reader)

by rmorningstar21



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Blood, F/M, Hanahaki Disease, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, Reader-Insert, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22739755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmorningstar21/pseuds/rmorningstar21
Summary: If you're looking for something happy and jovial where Adrien Agreste, the ever so handsome Cat Noir falls for the reader, this is not what you're looking for.  Welcome, Fem!Reader, you are MultiMouse, one of the protectors of Paris.  You found out early on who everyone was, and you are the one person who has been allowed to keep their miraculous with this knowledge.  Your closest friend, your childhood friend, Adrien Agreste is the cause of your hanahaki disease.  Y/N has abandoned Adrien's friendship, and now Multimouse is dying.  A life without love is meaningless, though, so what else is there to do?Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fanfiction using characters from the Miraculous world, which is trademarked by Thomas Astruc.  The characters used belong to them, and I do not claim them as my own, nor do I claim you as the “reader”.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Reader, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 8
Kudos: 174





	Love Just Beyond Reach (Adrien/Cat Noir x Reader)

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU where everyone is right around 20 (obviously Luka was a year or two older than the rest in the show, so respectively he's either 21 or 22). Hanahaki Disease only takes victims of 20+, so Reader has been pining their best friend in a healthy sense for many years. Reader has also been fighting along side Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Viperion since they were in high school. I have Lukanette tagged because there is mention of it, though the main pairings touched on are the love square concept and Adrien/Cat x Fem!Reader.

Multimouse couldn't blame Cat Noir for his own feelings, as she watched him swoon over Ladybug. Each advance he made was denied, no matter how many times he tried it. Watching the confident cat-like superhero constantly lose the battle of love only grew to depress Mini-mouse more. 

Unlike Ladybug, MultiMouse found out early on who everyone was. Cat Noir was clearly Adrien Agreste, while Ladybug was clearly Marinette. MultiMouse was Y/N L/N, someone who loved Adrien enough to let him be. The two were closer than close, best friends since early on. Y/N and Chloe were the only two that knew Adrien since before he was allowed to attend school, and Y/N was the only one that Gabriel Agreste did not mind visiting his son. 

"I sometimes wish they knew," Y/N said with a sigh, lying on her bed with the three Kwami. "They would be a lot happier." 

"You're the only one who can keep a Kwami after knowing, Y/N," Tikki reminded wholeheartedly. 

"I know," she replied with a sigh, pulling a snack out from her dresser for the three. After Y/N first met Plagg, she learned to keep fancy aged cheese for him, while Tikki preferred macaroons, and her own Kwami was not nearly as picky as the two. "It hurts to watch, though. I would never tell them, but I just want to see them happy."

"We want to see them happy, too," Tikki said as she chewed on her macaroon. "We also want to see you happy, Y/N." 

"Maybe one day I'll find someone that will let me forget about Adrien," she said with a shrug, frown prominent against her lips. "And maybe one day they'll fall for the same egos of themselves." 

"That's doubtful," Plagg said with a chuckle. "The only way Cat will fall for her is if he knew she was Ladybug." 

"Their communication skills without their miraculous are lacking," Tikki added in. 

"Neither of them are dying from it, either," Mullo chided with a sad tone. 

The three Kwami cuddled up close to Y/N, even Plagg with a grimace against his catlike features. She snuggled them softly, forcing her tears not to fall from y/e/c eyes. Y/N loved all three of the Kwamis, becoming very close to them early on. Y/N was lucky that symptoms of the disease only surfaced after the carrier turned twenty, giving her plenty of years to be MultiMouse. 

Y/N could feel a violent tickle at the back of her throat and unfortunately separated from the three small creatures. Grabbing the water bottle from the nightstand, she allowed the cold water to attempt to quell the coughing fit that was about to begin. Swallowing hard, it was no use. Within moments, the young woman found herself coughing right into her arm, directed away from the three creatures. 

"You're getting worse," Tikki said wearily. 

Holding back tears after her coughing fit, she quickly wiped the blood and petals away with a towel. Giving the three Kwami a reassuring smile, she shook her head. "There's no reason to worry," she said softly. 

"You're dying!" Plagg countered quickly. "How is that not something to worry about? Who else can I sneak off and still get Camenbert from?" 

"What Plagg means is we all love you," Tikki said with an eye roll meant for the cat Kwami. "Paris needs MultiMouse, and we need you." 

"You're the best MultiMouse I've had the pleasure to meet," Mullo said softly. "Why can't you just tell him how you feel?" 

"I try to drop hints to Cat Noir," Plagg chimed in sullenly. "He's just so dense." 

"Ladybug seems to be gaining interest in someone else," Tikki chimed in with a smile. "She's having trouble truly letting go of Cat, but I think he's really good for her. That may be your opportunity." 

"They would be so cute if they just knew, though," Y/N replied with a sigh. "Mari is actually crushing on someone else, though? Oh! You mean the man who has Sass? Luka, I think his name was?" 

"You called for me?" Sass said in his snake-like tone, a gentle smirk placed against his lips. 

"Hey, Sass," Y/N said fondly, before another coughing fit erupted from her throat. This time, she used the towel to catch each throat ripping cough, leaving blood and petals in the wake of the fit. Wiping her mouth quickly and shoving the towel aside, she let out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry, guys." 

"You need to say something soon," Plagg cut in, a frown atop his features. "You heard Tikki, and none of us want you to die."

"If you don't say something soon, one of us will have to tell our owners that MultiMouse is dying," Tikki countered with concern laced in her voice. 

"Even Sass cares about you, Multimouse," Mullo commented, motioning to the snake-like Kwami. "We don't want to lose our MultiMouse." 

"If you die, Mullo goes back with the other Kwami," Sass added with hissing between every other word, giving a sad smile. "As much as we enjoy being with our own kind, we all love bringing peace to Paris." 

"Oh no!" Tikki called out, sensing the presence of an akuma. "We have to get back to our Masters. You know what you have to do, MultiMouse." 

The other three Kwami left Y/N and Mullo alone. Though Y/N felt weak, she knew as MultiMouse, she would be stronger and able to protect Paris. After all, the disease had not gotten bad enough to affect more than simple coughing fits by this point. Y/N glanced over to Mullo, who had a sad smile, but ready eyes. 

"Mullo, get squeaky!" Y/N said as she moved to her feet, calling her Kwami to transform. Though her health was something Y/N knew would be brought up once again by her Kwami, the two were stronger together. Y/N knew that as much as Mullo did, and Paris was in peril. 

Meeting up with Ladybug, Cat Noir, and Viperion was bittersweet. The four went after the akuma, Viperion having second chance available if anything went south. Unfortunately for Y/N, each time that everything went south, Y/N would have to keep reliving the moment she could feel the vines growing in her lungs. 

The first time that it happened, Ladybug was the one to be captured by the akumatized victim. Ladybug was such a kind young woman, and when she saw MiltiMouse retract inwardly at the pain inside her chest, she immediately got worried. Her bluebell eyes landed upon MultiMouse, kindness in her heart as she reached out to help her. Unfortunately, this gave the akumatized victim enough time to shoot a beam at her, capturing her. 

"Second chance!" Viperion called out, adjusting the bracelet miraculous, though each and every time that he did, he could feel something of pain for the superhero. He made a mental note to attempt to get enough time after the fight to check on Multimouse. Though they didn't know their secret identities, they all cared for one another after all. 

The second time, Cat Noir went to check on MultiMouse. His emerald eyes were kind as he delicately touched her shoulder. "You feeling alright, Mousy?" Cat Noir asked softly, before he was immediately captured by the akumatized victim. The only reason it hadn't been Ladybug was due to Viperion grabbing her arm. 

"Second chance!" Viperion called out again. This time, it was Viperion who would simply grab the heroine and pull them away from the crossfire. With worried ocean eyes, Viperion grimaced at the young woman in front of him. "I'm sorry if I hurt you," he murmured before the akumatized victim cut him off from saying anything else. 

MultiMouse fought through the pain, eventually using her own ability. After the initial mess up, everything was back to normal, Cat Noir throwing some suggestive comments at Ladybug as the four battled the akumatized victim. Following Lucky Charm was Cataclysm, and the four heroes were in for a  _ Pound It _ after Ladybug purified the butterfly. 

Seconds into their fists bumping, though, MultiMouse retracted once more. The vines grew deeper in this fight, tickling her throat violently as she moved away from the group for her coughing fit. Blood and petals stained her superhero outfit sleeve, causing her to grimace. 

"MultiMouse, what's wrong?" Ladybug asked in her kind, worried voice. "Oh my- is that blood?" 

MultiMouse grimaced, before pushing a feigned smile against her lips. Turning to Ladybug, she shrugged as she tried to play off the sight before the three. "I'm fine," she said sweetly, though she could feel the vines digging deeper. Being so close to Adrien Agreste, her Cat Noir, and watching him love another caused the disease to worsen. The pain itself was almost unbearable, though she tried her best to hold back her tears in front of her superhero friends. 

"You're clearly not!" She chided, before remembering the situation she left behind to go capture the akuma. "Someone find out what's going on with MultiMouse, bug out!" 

"You're in pain," Viperion pointed out as the two walked to MultiMouse's side. "Each time I used second chance, you cried out in pain. Don't lie to us."

"Come on, Purrincess," Cat Noir said softly, placing a gentle hand against her shoulder. "We're your furr-ends. You can tell us anything." 

_ Friends,  _ she thought morosely, before another pain shot through her respiratory system.  _ That's all I'll ever be to Cat Noir, to Adrien Agreste, and I'm going to die from it.  _

Trying to put on a straight face, she pushed a fake smile against her features. "I'm dying," she said simply with a shrug. "I'll be MultiMouse until I'm gone. I just don't want to burden you guys." 

"Dying?" Cat Noir repeated, almost as if he had not heard what she said correctly. "You can't die, MultiMouse. I- uh- a civilian friend of mine knows a good doctor. What disease do you have?"

"You know you can't know my identity," she said sheepishly. "Hanahaki, but I don't want the person I love to just love me out of guilt. I can't do that." 

"What if they love you back?" Viperion chimed in thoughtfully. 

"I wouldn't be dying," she countered. MultiMouse's miraculous began beeping due to her own weakened state. Though they were adults now, able to stay in their forms after using their powers, Y/N's disease made it impossible to keep up. "I'm going to go transform back. See you later, Kitty and Viper." 

*** 

"Plagg, what do I do?" Adrien asked with a soft huff as he sat at his desk. His emerald eyes moved to the black cat Kwami who was looking at cheese magazines on his bed. "Our ally is dying- literally dying. I don't know who she is, so I can't even ask the doctor that Father knows to look at her." 

Plagg let out a sigh, his green eyes glancing over to his companion. His lips formed a grimace as he set his cheese magazine down. "At least she finally said that she's dying," Plagg said thoughtfully, "but that's not what she was supposed to confess." 

"You know, don't you?" Adrien snapped quickly, his eyes glistening with curiosity. "Wait- you also knew that MultiMouse was dying. Have you been sneaking out?" 

"I'm not supposed to tell you," he said stiffly. "All the active Kwami have been visiting MultiMouse. We have all been close to MultiMouse for some time now, and no one wants to see her die." 

"Why won't she just tell the guy how she feels?" Adrien countered sadly, placing his pen on the desk as he rested his head in his hands. "MultiMouse is so sweet and kind, not to mention smart, but this is the dumbest thing she's done." 

"She doesn't want the guy to love her out of guilt," Plagg said absently. "Do you have a thing for MultiMouse?" 

"You know my heart belongs to Ladybug," he replied with an eye roll at his Kwami. "I'm sure whoever the guy is would be lucky to have her, though." 

"Ladybug already has someone she loves," Plagg countered sharply. "Isn't it time to open your options again?" 

"Why am I not dying, Plagg?" Adrien asked curiously, his emerald eyes glancing back over at the Kwami before reaching to grab one of his pictures of Ladybug. Emerald eyes moved to the picture of the heroine with the bluebell eyes. "What if Ladybug actually loves me back?"

Plagg let out an exaggerated sigh, laying back on the bed. "I thought we were worried about MultiMouse, Adrien," he said in a defeated tone. "She won't get the surgery, because she won't live without the ability to love ever again." 

"You're really worried about MultiMouse," he murmured, placing the picture back in his trophy before standing to his feet. He moved over to the bed to sit beside Plagg as his lips formed a grimace. "Why didn't you tell me she was dying sooner?" 

"We were all planning on telling our masters if she hadn't soon," he said sullenly, staring up at the ceiling. "Besides you, she's the only person to keep Camenbert aged to perfection for me. She knows just about everything there is to know about all the Kwami." 

"Why does she get to know all these things?" Adrien asked curiously. "You haven't told me about anyone but yourself."

"Because she found out on her own originally," Plagg said dismissively. "Early on. She's the only one to know everything and still be able to keep her miraculous." 

"She really is something," Adrien said with a sigh. "Does she know who I am?" 

"No!" Plagg quickly countered, "I mean- ah, yeah, she does." Plagg sighed in defeat. 

"Speaking of not knowing," Adrien said, leaning back upon the bed. "Where has Y/N been?" 

Plagg shifted awkwardly at the question, before shrugging. "Why are you asking me?" He said, feigning confusion. 

Adrien let out a sigh. "I guess I'm not," he said softly. "We were so close, and I haven't seen her in months. Maybe I did something to lose her." 

"Maybe she's just been busy?" Plagg quipped. "But, about MultiMouse…" 

"How long does she have?" Adrien asked, his mind going back to the concern for his friend. 

Plagg let out a deep sigh, glancing away from Adrien. In a small voice, he answered, attempting not to show how upset he actually was. "We don't know exactly, but not long," he said.

***

MultiMouse sat upon a roof of Paris, a grimace against her features as she watched the sunset. Being fused with Mullo was the only time that she felt somewhat okay by this point, though she thankfully was yet to cough more than blood and petals. Though the final stages were coming for her soon enough, she refused to make Cat Noir love her out of guilt. 

"MultiMouse," she heard the velvet voice of Viperion call out softly, footsteps padded over to her. 

Her y/e/c eyes glanced back to her friend, giving him a weak smile as she padded the spot beside her with her hand. "Viper, come sit," she said softly, pain clear in her voice. Thankfully tonight, there were no akuma in sight, just a night for the superheroes to see one another. 

Viperion had been the first to show, and though she knew everyone's civilian forms, if she was to say goodbye to them in her own, it would give away her identity as well as everyone elses. Viperion and Cat Noir both knew that MultiMouse was dying, and Tikki had already regrettably told Ladybug herself of the plight of their favorite mouse. MultiMouse was past the point of simply saying she was okay, but as a miraculous user, she would not fall victim to Hawk Moth. 

"It's admirable of you," he said softly, giving her a sad smile. "But you know none of us want you to die. We care about you, MultiMouse." 

"It's Kitty," she said, barely above a whisper. "But I know my place, and refuse to give him that burden. He loves Ladybug, and I'm trusting you with my secret, Viper." Y/e/c eyes gazed to ocean orbs. "I hope you will keep it locked away as the Kwami have." 

"You're one special woman," he said with a soft chuckle. "We all have a melody in our hearts, and I'm sure he could be your duet." 

Y/N had to force herself not to chuckle, as Viperion was so obviously Luka Couffaine. It was more obvious when he spoke, if it were not for the fact that his highlighted cyan locks gave it away. Placing a gentle hand against Viperion's shoulder, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Cats eat mice, Viper," she said with a stifled chuckle. "And this Cat ate me alive. He already knows I'm dying. Love out of sheer guilt isn't lasting. Do you want to know why I won't get the surgery?" 

"There's a surgery you could get?" Viperion asked curiously, his ocean eyes widened. "You could live, MultiMouse. Why would you allow yourself to die?" 

"Because an existence without love is nothing," she said with a sad smile. "The human heart is made to, as you said, have that melody. It would remove the ability to love anything, and a life like that I'd prefer to die in." 

Ladybug and Cat Noir listened from behind the two, both grimacing at their super heroine friend. Bluebell eyes glanced over to emerald orbs before glancing back to MultiMouse. There was one Kwami that did not keep the secret of who MultiMouse loved, and that had been the most concerned out of the four. Tikki told Marinette that it was Cat Noir. 

Bluebell orbs felt tears welling inside them, swallowing hard as she attempted not to open her mouth. The two watched Viperion and MultiMouse simply talking, before MultiMouse was cut off once again by a hard coughing fit. Viperion looked devastated as he watched the woman cough and cough, causing Ladybug's grimace to deepen. She could feel the tears that desired so desperately to fall, knowing everything but not able to do a thing about it. 

MultiMouse had almost fallen off the rooftop as she coughed. She had been coughing so hard, that if it wasn't for the swift actions of cat-like reflexes, she would have simply fallen. Strong, slender arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her grounded. 

"Purrincess, you may want to not sit so close to the edge," the voice of Cat Noir called out sheepishly as he pulled her a little further in. 

MultiMouse could barely hear Cat chide her, as she had still been coughing. The vine made its way deeper in her lungs, causing more petals and blood to pass her pouted lips in agony. She had not even had the chance to melt into those slender arms of her love, as he retracted before she noticed the presence. 

Emerald eyes widened at the scene in front of him. Bluebell eyes widened as well, tears passing the barrier and cascading down her cheeks. Viperion's breath hitched in his throat. 

Petals scattered at MultiMouse's feet, stained with the deep crimson blood. Upon the mess lied a single red rose, something that solidified the severity of MultiMouse's condition. Her own y/e/c orbs widened at the sight, though the pain in her lungs was nearly too much to bear. 

Ladybug cried, her tears nearly silent as she moved closer to MultiMouse. She cared not for the blood staining the woman's clothes as she wrapped her tightly in her arms, crying into her shoulder. Choked sobs echoed in MultiMouse's ears as Ladybug increased in volume. "Just tell him," she cried out. "MultiMouse, please! You're in agony!" 

"That's why I called you all here," she murmured softly, hugging Ladybug tightly in return, no matter how much it hurt her. "I wanted to say goodbye. Find another MultiMouse to aid you, and forget me, please." 

"Are you serious?" Cat Noir said, clearly shocked. He could feel tears welling in his own eyes as he stared at MultiMouse. "You just want us to forget about you? We've been at your side since the beginning." 

Moving from Ladybug, MultiMouse shifted to walk towards Cat Noir. Closing her eyes in pain, and opening them once more, she moved her hand to his cheek, giving him a weak smile. "You've known me far longer, Cat, and I apologize that you feel I've abandoned you," she said softly. "It was for the best, as you would have known my secret identity." 

Y/N moved her hand from Cat Noir's face before she moved away from him for another coughing fit. This one was more violent than the last, actual roses coming up with the blood. After a straight five minutes of the excruciating pain, MultiMouse was leaning against a wall atop the rooftop to not fall. 

"I don't want to get blood on Mullo," she said, turning her y/e/c eyes to Ladybug. "Will you please remove my miraculous?" 

"MultiMouse…" Ladybug said sullenly, through her tears. 

Viperion had been standing silent by the group during the fiasco, but moved to MultiMouse as he saw Ladybug not doing so. "Are you sure about this?" He asked in a concerned tone. Ocean eyes met with y/e/c orbs. 

"Please," MultiMouse said in a weak tone. "And tell your Kwamis that I love them. They've all been so kind to me." 

Viperion gently removed the miraculous from MultiMouse, showing her detransforming back in front of their eyes. A white light engulfed their vision for just a moment as the weakened woman before them nearly collapsed. Ladybug sprung forward to catch the woman before she fell, holding her up as much as she could. 

"Oh my god," Ladybug gasped out, looking down at the woman before using her free arm to move slender fingers across Y/N's face, removing some stray locks. 

"It's Y/N," the three said at the same time. A mix of shock and guilt reigned in their voices, Cat Noir's the most sullen of all. Each of their civilian forms had been close to Y/N L/N, and no one ever knew. After all, only Y/N knew who the identities of all the heroes actually were. 

Cat Noir moved to take Y/N from Ladybug's arms. "Hand me her Miraculous,” Cat Noir said sullenly. “I’ll take her somewhere she can rest.”

“We already know who she is,” Ladybug countered quickly. “What if Hawk Moth finds out who she is and goes after the miraculous?”

“Then he’ll have to deal with me,” he countered quickly, his tone stern to try and hide the sadness laced underneath it. “I want her to be able to see her Kwami.”

***

Cat Noir made his way in through the window, holding the unconscious woman in his arms. Tears slipped down from his emerald eyes as he held the woman tight against him. Lying her upon his own bed, she grimaced. “Plagg, claws in,” he called out in melancholy, holding the mouse miraculous in his hand. 

“You brought her to your house?” Plagg asked uncomfortably. “Isn’t that unsafe?”

“She knows who you are anyways,” he murmured softly, his emerald eyes soft upon the woman in front of the two. “And I don’t want her to be alone.” Adrien opened the box containing the necklace, wrapping the necklace around the unconscious woman’s neck as his grimace deepened. "I did this, didn't I?" 

Mullo appeared in front of the three, sitting atop the unconscious woman. "Oh, MultiMouse," Mullo murmured softly, feeling tears welling in the Kwami's eyes. "Don't leave me…" 

"She's just unconscious for now," Plagg chimed in, floating down beside his friend. He tried to give Mullo a reassuring smile, though it fell fast. The cat-like creature could feel tears welling in his own eyes.

"This is all my fault," Adrien murmured softly, moving to brush the cheek of his best friend. Tears welled in his emerald eyes, swallowing hard as he tried his hardest not to cry. Footsteps neared Adrien's door, and the two Kwami both moved to hide as a knock sounded. 

In this moment, Adrien simply murmured a, "Come in." Thankfully for him, being of age, his father gave him a great deal more freedom than he did prior. Eventually he planned on moving out, but he did not wish to leave his father alone yet. 

Gabriel Agreste walked into the room, noticing his son out of sorts immediately. The sullen look upon the young man's face was obvious from the doorway, and as Gabriel's eyes landed upon the dying woman, he could see what the strong feelings were emanating from his own household. A feeling Gabriel knew all to well of grief stung the room. 

Gabriel's own blue eyes widened at the sight, the normally calm man rushing over to the woman's side. "What happened to her?" He asked sharply as he knelt beside his son. "Oh, Y/N…" 

"Hanahaki disease," Adrien said shortly, his breath hitching in his throat as he spoke the words. His emerald eyes did not move to his father as they were fixated upon the unconscious woman. "And it's all my fault." 

"It's a shame you don't love her," Gabriel replied morosely, moving a hand to stroke the hair of the unconscious woman. "I always thought she was someone worthy of the Agreste name. In ways, Y/N reminded me a great deal of your mother." 

Adrien could not help the tears that spilled from his emerald eyes. The pain he felt inside his heart was comparable to the disease that ravaged Y/N's respiratory system, though this pain would not take him the way hers would. "I wish I could love her," Adrien choked out through his tears. "I wish I could see her romantically." 

Gabriel simply placed a reassuring hand upon his son's back, a frown clear across his features. "Y/N was a good woman," he said softly. "Just like Natalie. We both have claimed a life, but you cannot choose who you love." 

Y/N began to stir only to begin to choke. She choked, gasping for air as the vines were now shown visibly through her throat. Blood splattered as she coughed, roses pooling from her mouth. 

The Agreste men attempted to comfort the woman to no avail. Gabriel had grabbed a trash can for Y/N to spill her bloody flowers into as tears streamed down the woman's face. Adrien wanted so badly to look away, and yet he could not as he simply rubbed her back in comfort. Tears still poured out of his own eyes as he watched. 

"I'm sorry, Adrien," she forced between gasped breaths, her mind growing dizzy from lack of blood and oxygen. Her throat was pierced by the vines, body growing limp, and vision growing hazy. Y/e/c eyes closed and kissed, Adrien sat by the limp woman's side while arrangements were made. 

Hawk Moth, no, Gabriel Agreste, had failed in protecting his son from the grief he felt. Though he took solace that Adrien had not loved the woman, the grief was so tempting for the man to take advantage of. He would not, though, and Cat Noir would hand Ladybug the miraculous of the mouse that eve. The heroes lost an ally and a friend this night. 


End file.
